


Ethereal

by AutumnBlueWylde



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-01-23 13:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18550402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnBlueWylde/pseuds/AutumnBlueWylde
Summary: Lucy is a feisty fire cracker with waayy too much pep in her step, and never takes anything too seriously. Cobra is a moody asshole who works too hard.I love a good AU, especially university.





	1. Coffee

It was the eighth day in a row Cobra had seen this chick rush in, grab a coffee and run straight back out. Lucky cow always managed to time it just right, when there was a lull in customers.

"You're staring at her again." His sleepy friend said across from the table where they were working.

"She's disney princess peppy at," Cobra checked his watch, "eight forty fucking five, every day. It's not right. And I'm not staring." He snarled.

"Pfft. Okay." His friend snorted.

"Shut up, Midnight." Cobra growled.

Cobra ran a hand through his spikey maroon hair, sighing in exasperation. He was struggling with this application project for the summer school. Midnight had asked him to help him get into the course. He was trying not to get stressed. But seeing Perky McBlondey had really riled him up and he was already done for the day, despite the early hour.

"Fuck this." He ground out, shoving his chair back.

"Cobra?" Midnight called after him as his angry friend stormed out of the coffee shop.

"Nope!" Cobra yelled back, slinging his book bag over his shoulder and wrenching the door open.

Out in the street, the smell of exhaust fumes and fresh cut grass filled his flared nostrils as he inhaled deeply, and took off down the street.

They had two weeks left to get this done. Midnight was yet to pick a medium, let alone a theme. He'd been stuck between a straight up painting, or a series of photographs. Cobra had to give it to him, Midnight was talented as fuck, but he'd gotten as far as he had based on pure luck. Last minute competition entries and professional procrastination, Midnight was an expert at pulling things out of his ass to make the grade when it came to his art.

Cobra, however, had no patience for this bullshit. He lit a cigarette, and took a drag. No. He had a plan for everything. Lists and organisation were his department. Which was why he was getting so stressed. He'd refused to work with Midnight on anything before, he put Cobra on edge. He may have been able to scrape through life by the skin of his teeth, but Cobra wasn't so arrogant as to assume he'd be handed everything he wanted.

Extinguishing his cigarette as he neared their apartment block, Cobra took his phone out.

_**pick a bastard theme. i'll pick the medium. we're finishing this. i cant afford to keep smoking this much** _

It was true, that Cobra had smoked more than usual since agreeing to help Midnight, sparking up anytime he and Midnight disagreed on something. Before they'd graduated high school, their friendship was chill. They'd play videogames or hang out at the mall or the park. Then they'd found out they'd both be going to the same college, and moved in together. Leaving their small town behind, they found an apartment close to the Crocus U campus. Midnight was a trust fund kid, so he didn't have a job, used his Dad's money for rent and to fund his weed habit, which did nothing to help his chronic insomnia, short of causing him to nap frequently through the day, and stay up painting all night.

He let himself into the apartment. He relished in the silence, knowing full well it wouldn't last long. Their other room mate, and highschool friend, Racer, would be awake soon.  
Cobra dropped his book bag on his bed and made his way into the kitchen, he left his coffee back at the cafe.

Sitting down, he'd barely lifted his mug to his lips when Racer came flying out of his room. Shouting obscenities and complaining, loudly, about being late.

"Hi, Cobra," He rammed a cereal bar down his neck, "Bye, Cobra." He slammed the front door, as Cobra lifted his hand in a half wave.

By the time he'd finished his coffee, and calmed down, Midnight was back.

"I picked a theme." He sulked, sitting across from Cobra at the kitchen table.

"Good. You're doing a painting." Cobra told him. "You haven't got time to do a photo set now."

"I know." Midnight yawned.

"What's the theme?" Cobra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ethereality." Midnight slouched across the table and started softly snoring.

Cobra sucked his teeth, and kicked the chair out from under his friend.


	2. Cut Backs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting on important phone calls sucks.

Cobra had to give it to Midnight, his painting was seriously awesome. He'd taken inspiration from Sir Joseph Noel Paton's _The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania_. Adding gossimer clothing to give the subjects some decency. And bringing it into the 21st century by changing up the hair and giving the fairies tattoos. He deepened the shades, making it look like they were ready to dance right off the canvas. Their faces were inviting and dangerous. It was really a sight to behold.

"Not bad," Cobra said when Midnight came bursting into his room to say he was finished, holding it up, proud beam nearly splitting his paint splattered face in two. "Now get the fuck out, it's 3am!" He growled, launching an alarm clock at the closing door as Midnight cackled maniacally.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The summer school hopefuls had to attend an open viewing of all the pieces submitted for judgement. Which meant Cobra was currently chugging whiskey, stuffed into the suit his high school girlfriend had talked him into buying for their prom, avoiding making eye contact with any of the other wannabe artists.

Cobra yanked at his collar, loosening his tie. They'd been there for several hours already and the judges had yet to come look at Midnight's painting.

Laughter drifted like music over to himself and Midnight in the corner they hadn't left all night. Cobra looked around, finally acknowledging all the other entries. A piece that caught his eye was taking up a lot of space in the middle of the room. It looked like a bunch of lights, all knotted together. But he realised that when he moved certain ways, the lights would lock into patterns, bigger knots linked by finer strands of light.

They were constellations. Before he realised, he'd wandered over to look closer. Midnight close behind him, clutching tightly to his fruity cider.

"Wow." Midnight choked out. "This is incredible." He glanced over to his own installation. Mild panic briefly washing his features, he looked back at Cobra. He was looking at the accompanying explanation, which constellation was which, depending on where you viewed it from.

"It's," Cobra searched for an adjective that would do it justice, "astronomical." He smirked.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Cobra was going to punch Midnight in the face.

"Sit the fuck down." He snapped from where he was playing Call of Duty on the sofa.

"I can't." Midnight whined.

"You can, and will. Or so help me, Midnight." Cobra half threatened, but his thought process was cut off when his screen darkened. "Son of a BITCH." He growled.

Midnight threw himself into an armchair. His skin was pale with anticipation, making his emo make up much starker than usual.

They were waiting to find out if Midnight had made the cut. The night of the gallery, the board had revealed that they were only accepting ten students. Cobra hadn't been paying much attention, mostly due to being half cut, but it was some bullshit about budget cuts.

The phone rang. Midnight nearly fell from the chair trying to get up to answer it.

He took a deep breath, and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"What is the big deal?" Cana Alberona was currently sat across from her best friend, Lucy, at a noisy restaurant in the middle of Crocus, waiting for a phone call, "You already got onto the course at the Uni. Why do you care about the summer school?" She took a drink from her cocktail.

"It looks good in my portfolio." Lucy stuffed some salad in her mouth.

Cana looked unimpressed. "Is that it?"

Lucy swallowed. And shrugged. "It's like an intro to the course. Like," Lucy tried to think of a way to explain it, "Like, pre drinks. It's a way of getting ahead of the curve, earning credits for the course. And I can meet some of the people I'll be in class with come October."

Now Cana shrugged. "I guess that makes sense." She swigged more of her drink as Lucy's phone lit up.

**Unknown Number**

Lucy grinned. "Here we go!" She practically squealed.

Cana watched as her friend answered, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

 _I'm in._ Lucy mouthed.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
"What do you mean you didn't get in?" Cobra was as annoyed as Midnight was upset.

"They said my piece was remedial." Midnight was slumped in the armchair. Staring blankly at the TV, phone still in his limp hand.

"Well that's a load of shit." Cobra murmured.

"No." Midnight straightened up. Cobra's eyebrow lifted, silently waiting for an explanation. "This is what I get." Cobra was still quiet. "For waiting until the last minute. Again." He put his head in his hands. "They said with artists like Lucy Heartfilia, the bar was raised much higher. Especially with the cut backs."

"Who?" Cobra didn't remember any of the other hopefuls names.

"She did that one with all the lights." Midnight sulked.

"Oh, yeah." Cobra smirked, "That one was pretty fucking cool."

"Thanks." Midnight deadpanned.

Cobra laughed. "Shut up."


	3. Freshers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's freshers week. Towards the end, it gets a bit messy.

By the time the semester started, Lucy was much more confident. She'd made one friend on the course. A stern red head with a taste for sweets by the name of Erza. So she at least had someone to sit by.

Moving her stuff to the dorms was made a little easier by the fact her friends had basically demanded they help. Natsu and Gray hauled her mattress up 6 flights of stairs when they realised it wouldn't fit in the lift. Cana made sure her mini fridge was fully stocked with mini wines. Lucy was upset that her and Cana wouldn't be living together, but she was only down the hall. And Natsu and Gray were in the next building.

They still had a couple of weeks before classes started, and Lucy had planned on going to as many ice breakers as possible. Dragging Natsu and Gray with her, obviously.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The first few days of Freshers Week had been a bit disappointing to Lucy. There hadn't been a lot to do. But she met her room mate, a quiet girl with pink hair. Meredy. And now it was Friday night. There was a buzz about the campus as Lucy made her way back from her newly rented studio space. Boys whistled at giggling girls who teetered on impossible heels towards taxis waiting to take them to nightclubs, or friends places for pre drinks.

Natsu and Gray were sat outside her building, passing a bottle of cheap cider between themselves. She waved them in and they followed her up to the apartment, which now looked more like people lived in it.

In the short few days in which Lucy and Meredy had lived there, it had been transformed from the catalogue standard College Dorm Room, into a proper living space. Both girls brought plush sofas, Lucy brought beanbags and a TV. Meredy brought her X Box (and never seemed to be not playing something online, her headset was always on her head) and Lucy brought her old N64. Framed movie posters were up around the living room. Stacks of books were dotted in random spaces, between couches, next to the TV, on all 3 of the coffee tables.

When they walked in, Meredy had friends over, and music was playing.

"Lucy!" The pinked haired girl squealed, jumping down from a counter in the kitchen that adjoined the living room.

Lucy took a drink from her new friend after putting her bag down by the door, and shooing in Natsu and Gray.

Someone had set up a drinking game in the middle of the living room, all the furniture was pushed back and several decks of cards surrounded a giant beer stein. People who she could only assume were Meredy's friends, took turns picking out cards and doing shots or pouring their drinks into the stein.

Meredy slung her arm over Lucy's shoulder, "Lucy, these are Gajeel," she indicated with her chin to a rather large, long haired dude with lots of piercings, "He picked the music," Lucy strained to listen, it wasn't something she recognised but it had a good beat, "That's Levy," Meredy had moved onto a petite blue haired girl with red glasses, "She lives down the hall." Levy gave a small wave. "And this," The last person had her back to them, but Lucy recognised the red hair. She turned around.

"Erza!" Lucy almost screamed.

Meredy was grinning at the two girls hugging. "Looks like you two already know each other." She laughed. "Erza is Levy's room mate."

All of them sat to play, Lucy picked up the game quite quickly, where Natsu needed the rules explaining near enough every round. Eventually they gave up and they sat around playing a tame version of _never have I ever_ to get to know each other.

It was 3am by the time Lucy finally went to bed. She felt bad making Natsu and Gray walk back to their building, even though it was less that 3 minutes away, so she made them sleep on the pull out sofa in her room. 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Cobra groaned. Light was beaming straight onto his face. He took a second to figure out where he was. His living room. He was next to someone on the sofa.

"Midnight?" He said as he recognised the two tone hair. "Get off me!" He shoved Midnight onto the floor, where he stayed asleep on the carpet. Cobra sat up, scrubbing a hand through his hair and then down his face.

"My mouth is drier than a nuns snatch." He grumbled.

"That's disgusting." Midnight complained. Still face down on the floor.

"Yet, it's true." Cobra pushed up from the sofa to get himself a bottle of water.

Freshers week had fucked them both, and last night, Friday night, had been the worst. Midnight was shockingly outgoing when you got a couple tequilas in him. Cobra had spent the best part of three hours trailing him from bar to bar before they finally settled on the one closest to their apartment building.

Cobra sat back down, resting his feet on Midnight's back, and laughed.

"What?" Midnight mumbled into the floor.

"Just remembering you last night." Cobra smirked.

Midnight's eyes snapped open and he shoved Cobra's legs off him to sit up. "What?" He pleaded.

"You sang." Cobra swigged his water, keeping one eye on his friend.

"No." Midnight looked ready to scream.

"Yes." Cobra took his phone out of his pocket.

"Oh. Oh no." Midnight brought his knees up to his chest, burying his face in his hands.

"Oh, yes." Cobra thumbed through his gallery. Photos of Midnight, his blurry face, one where he got right up into the camera and the only thing in the shot was one of his over lined eyes. A few of him dancing on a table. A video. Cobra pressed play. It was Midnight being escorted off the table by security, with Cobra laughing like a mad man. Another video, a different bar. Cobra pressed play again. The tinny noise of _Summer of '69_ rang through the phone's speaker.

Midnight peered through his fingers at the screen. He watched himself screech along, his cheeks stained the same colour as the glass of rosé he was clutching.

"Oh dear god." He whimpered and shoved Cobra's phone away from him.


	4. Paired Up

Cobra waited in the queue for coffee. His caffeine addiction was nearly as bad as his nicotine one. He should have known how busy the campus coffee shop would be on the first day of classes. He'd already been waiting for fifteen minutes when he heard someone sighing and tapping their foot behind him.

"This is ridiculous." A sullen voice commented.

Cobra turned to see blonde hair, surrounding a face hidden behind giant sunglasses. _Perky McBlondie?_ She was sulking. Cobra smirked. He shouldn't be so smug that, for once, she was having to wait for her coffee. But he was.

He was a bastard in that, other peoples misfortune usually made his mood better. So, despite the long wait, the hangover, the looming day of classes and inductions and ice breakers, he smiled. He smiled ordering his coffee, and smiled leaving.

He was still grinning when he walked into his first class. English Literature. Until he noticed a familiar mop of blonde hair. He groaned internally. The only seat left in the small auditorium was right behind her.

He threw himself into the chair. And watched the professor as she made her way towards the podium.

"Let's make this quick." The woman had a cocky air about her and clearly wasn't going to take any shit. "I'm Professor Milkovich. Call me Ultear." She passed blank stickers and pens to the kids at the front. "Pass them back." She instructed, "Write your names on these and stick them to your desks. Saves me trying to remember who's who."

There went Cobra's plan to grab a different table next class, and to keep his real name under wraps. His mood darkened again when the blonde turned to give him his sticker. Her glasses were gone, so he noticed that she was bright eyed and dewy skinned. He wanted so badly to hate her. He could tell she was the kind of girl everyone loved.

He wasn't there to make friends.

Cobra snatched the things from her, earning him a frown, but she turned back around without a word. He fought the urge to stick his tongue out at her.

He already couldn't wait for the day to be over.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"He was so rude." Lucy was complaining to Meredy back in their dorm. She was still fuming over the red haired guy from her Lit class.

"Mhmm." Meredy was only half listening, she was reading.

"Ugh," Lucy flung herself onto a sofa, a bag of doritos in one hand, a book in the other. "Still, my art class was alright."

"Yeah?" Meredy made a little effort to look like she cared.

"Yeah, you know that video that went viral last week?" Meredy looked up, her eyes silently questioning, "Of the emo kid belting out Bryan Adams?" Meredy nodded, Lucy laughed, "He's in my class." She shoved doritos in her mouth. "He's really quiet. I am one hundered percent convinced he fell asleep at one point."

"Hm." Meredy went back to her book, prompting Lucy to open hers, and shut up.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

A few weeks went by. Lucy managed to avoid the ornery spikey haired boy in her Lit class. And her art class was going amazingly.

The emo boy turned out to be called Midnight, she realised he was the one who submitted a painting for the summer program that she adored.

"It was bullcrap that you got looked over." She said to him after they'd been paired up for a project, and were walking to his apartment to make a start.

"Nah, I rushed it. Yours though," He made a _mind blown_ gesture, "Wow."

Lucy giggled. "Thank you." She blushed, "I love the sky, constellations have fascinated me for as long as I can remember." She looked up, as though she could see past the icy blue sky, into space.

"No kidding," He said, leading her into his block.

Music was blasting from his apartment. Something heavy, and angry. That she'd come to expect from Gajeel when he and Levy came to her place to hang out.

"Dammit, Cobra!" Midnight yelled as he opened the door for her.

"Cobra?" Lucy half giggled.

"Yeah," Midnight stepped aside to let her in and shut the door, "It's not his real name." He was half shouting to be heard.

"Oh." Lucy shouted back.

"Like Midnight isn't mine." It was his turn to blush, it was vibrant against his pale cheeks.

"Oh?" Lucy was curious.

"Yeah, I have chronic insomnia, so." He shrugged, and turned to face towards the living room again. "Cobra!" He screamed.

"What?!" A voice growled from somewhere deeper into their home. The music stopped. Lucy heard footsteps, stomping towards them.

The red haired guy from her lit class. He looked her over and lifted one corner of his mouth.

"Well. Hello, blondie." He purred.

Midnight stared between them. Lucy was scowling. He'd only ever seen her smiling. But he figured Cobra had this effect on people.

"Hello, _Erik._ " His name slid off her tongue like a curse. He stiffened, briefly, then turned on his heel and cranked the music back up.

Midnight stared at her, and she turned back to face him. "Coffee shop?" He suggested, opening the door again. She nodded and they headed back out into the autumn evening.

Once inside and cradling the steaming cups, Midnight asked, "How do you know his name?"

Lucy huffed a little laugh, explaining what their Lit teacher had the do their first day. "I peeked. I needed a name to put to his smug face."

"He hates his name." Midnight said quietly, staring at the glittering liquid in his mug.

Lucy was curious, but didn't push it. She didn't like the guy, but that didn't mean she wanted to hear idle gossip about him. Instead, she started asking him about his art, what he liked, what styles they had in common.

After an hour or so, they had some solid ideas as a starting point for their project.

As they were leaving, Midnight said "Next time, I'll have better control over my asshole friend. The coffee here is way too expensive." 

Lucy laughed as the bell over the door tinkled, and once again, they stepped out into the frigid air.


	5. Let's a-go!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Video games and first date nerves.

Cobra was going to catch something if he kept hanging out of his window to smoke. The bruised afternoon sky was threatening snow, but Midnight and Lucy were in his living room, stinking the place up with paint and glue. He'd had two weeks of this already, he couldn't keep holed up in his room forever. And this was definitely not how he had envisioned spending his Saturday.

Cobra could hear her giggling.

He growled and slammed his window.

He stormed through the living room, towards the kitchen, in time to see Midnight passing Lucy a controller for their Wii. Midnight saw Cobra and offered him one as well. (They'd paid the extra for 4 controllers, just in case, even though no one played Wii.)

"Mario Kart? Lucy reckons she's the best." Midnight was baiting him, Mario Kart was Cobra's game. He'd unlocked all the roads, was an expert at taking corners, and had the fastest times on all the roads.

"Oh really." Cobra smirked at Lucy. She smirked back. A challenge. His earlier anger and frustration was replaced by his boyish need to dominate at this game. He took the bait, and the controller and sunk into the sofa next to Midnight.

Turns out, Cobra is a really sore loser. Lucy beat his ass into the ground over and over, smashing his record times and leaving both him and Midnight in the dust. Of course, Midnight thought it was hilarious. Watching Cobra get redder and redder with rage. But also watching Lucy's face light up in glee every time Cobra growled, _actually growled_ , when she passed the finish line way ahead of him.

Cobra couldn't get his head around it, even when he used shells, oil slicks, bananas, she beat him. And as sore a loser as Cobra was, Lucy was a much worse winner. After the last race, she got up and actually did a ridiculous victory dance in front of them, something akin to that of Chandler Bing's in _Friends._

Midnight laughed at her as she stuck her tongue out in Cobra's face.

Cobra would have been a lot angrier, if she hadn't looked _so goddamn happy._

"Yeah, yeah," He waved her away from him. "You win this time, Blondie." He grunted, pushing himself off the sofa, towards the kitchen again. And she giggled, grinning at him.

He was lighting another cigarette, taking a drag, when he heard the front door open and close again. He closed his eyes and let the smoke wash away his frustration, negativity leeching out from his lungs with each exhale of the toxic fumes. He felt his shoulders loosen.

Midnight walked in and sat across from him at the table.

Cobra opened an eye, to see his friend leaning his chin on his fists, smiling.

"You look like a creepy doll." Cobra muttered around the cigarette dangling from his mouth as his flicked ash from his collar. Midnight didn't move. "Where's Blondie?"

"She left." Midnight told him. "She had to meet someone."

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
Lucy gulped in the cold air as soon as her feet hit the sidewalk outside Midnight's apartment. She couldn't believe how late she was. Cana was going to kill her. She was still riding the ridiculous high of beating Cobra at every round of Mario Kart. It was silly, but she felt like a child again. But instead of playing against her nanny or the cook (both of whom, she'd had to explain the controls to over and over),or trying to beat her own scores, she had the thrill of playing against people who actually enjoyed the game too.

Well, Midnight definitely did. Cobra took it way too seriously. She remembered the way he leaned forward and stuck his tongue out the corner of his mouth when they did _Rainbow Road_ , and laughed out loud to herself.

One fat raindrop burst right on her nose, followed by another on her cheek, then another, and another, until the roar of rain crashing down around her drowned out her thoughts and she was running towards her own dorm building.

By the time she'd made it through her front door, she was soaked. Her hair was dripping on the carpet, and her clothes clung to her shivering frame.  
"Wow." Cana laughed from her sofa.

"Sh-shut u-up." Lucy scowled as she crossed the room to the shower, any malice diluted by her pathetic form.

Lucy felt a million times better after showering and putting on dry clothes. Even if Cana had picked them for her.

"We're going for dinner." She said, looking at herself in the mirror. While she could admit that her friend knew how to make her look _hot_ , Lucy wasn't quite sure about a sprakly halter top and black denim mini skirt. "I don't want him to think I just came from a gig as a stripper." Lucy frowned at her reflection, then caught mirror-Cana's eye.

Cana rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Fine." She hopped off the bed and dove straight back into the wardrobe.

"What's this guy like, anyway?" Lucy shouted to her friend.

Cana came back out, holding up a much more modest navy dress, and matching strappy heels. Her friend shrugged and Lucy stepped out of the mini skirt and into the dress.  
"He's sweet, if a little intense." Cana told her, sweeping the blonde's hair out of the way to slide the zip up. It didn't go far, the plunging back was why Cana had picked it. While it left a lot to the imagination at the front, she knew Lucy couldn't wear a bra with it, and it showed off miles of flawless, creamy skin. Lucy turned around, twisting her hair into some kind of up do. "His name is Bickslow."

"And he's friends with your date?" Lucy looked worried. She was, she'd never really been on a date before, and Cana was well aware of the fact. But, she was grateful that Cana had offered to set this up, and be right there with her.

"Yeah, babe, calm down!" Cana laughed, pressing a glass of wine into her slightly sweaty palm. They still had a little while before they had to leave, despite Lucy having been late to meet Cana first.

The two girls drank an entire bottle of merlot before they left. Lucy's head span a little as she stood up to put her coat on, and Cana called a cab. They'd decided to splash out on taxis, given that the rain was practically torrential at this point, and their makeup was immaculate.

Cana's phone buzzed. "Taxi's here. Let's go!"


	6. This Is Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy is waiting to hear from Bickslow.  
> Cobra touches a nerve when he calls her out during class.

Lucy was slightly upset that Bickslow hadn't text her, and said as much to Cana and Meredy over lunch, a week after the double date.

"What do you expect?" Cana shrugged. "You spent the whole evening gushing about playing Mario Kart with _two other dudes_."

"I just really like Mario Kart." Lucy sulked into her burger.

"I know." Meredy rolled her eyes mirthfully, Lucy nudged her ribs with her elbow, "Maybe don't be so intense about it?" The pink haired girl suggested.

"It's not about the game." Cana started, then shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth. Lucy looked at her, waiting for an explanation. "It's about how you smiled when you mentioned-" Cana thought for a second, "What was his name? The moody one?"

"Midnight?" Lucy offered.

"No," Cana said around a mouthful of baby spinach, flapping her hand as if trying to pull the name out of thin air.

"Cobra?!" Lucy was taken aback. She certainly did _not_ smile when she talked about him.

"Bingo." Cana pointed her fork at Lucy, still chewing.

"Good God, Cana." Meredy scolded, "Don't talk with your mouth full." She winced when Cana then opened her mouth wide, showcasing the green mush within.

"If I was smiling," Lucy said defensively, "It was because he was such a baby when he lost. He got way to into it."

"And so did you, apparently." Cana mumbled into her coleslaw.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and went back to her burger.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

_If she opens her phone one more time I swear-_

Cobra was getting irritated. Lucy had checked her phone about 6 times already. The class had only started about 20 minutes ago.

"Give it up Blondie," He whispered from behind her, "If he hasn't texted by now, he's not going to." He leaned back in his seat, tapping his pen on the corner of his desk.

She tensed. He'd hit a nerve. Cobra would be lying if he said it was a guess. Midnight had told him she'd gone on a date that evening after they played Mario Kart. And judging by the fact she never checked her phone in class, she was still waiting for contact over a week later.

Her head spun to face him, eyes narrowed. "Shut up." She hissed.

His mouth twisted into a smug grin. "What? Because I'm right?" Her shoulders stiffened again, she gathered her things, and slipped out of a back door.

The professor looked up from where she was reading from the podium, her questioning eyes burning a hole into Cobra's face.

He just shrugged. "Women's things." And the class resumed.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Lucy slammed her stuff down next to her desk in her art class. Their professor hadn't made them have assigned seats, so her, Erza and Midnight had ended up sitting together. At this moment, Erza was staring at the angry blonde.

"The hell?" Midnight asked.

"Your friend is a fucking douche." Lucy growled. Erza's eyes widened and Midnight nearly choked on his coke. "What?"

"Nothing," Midnight wheezed, "Never heard you swear."

"Or insult someone." Erza added.

Lucy slid into her seat, "Yeah, well. He is." She slouched across her desk, resting her cheek so she was facing Midnight.

She sat up and explained the date situation, then what Cobra said in their Lit class. When she finished, she looked up from where she was messing with a loose thread on her hoodie. Midnight looked sheepish. "What?" She asked, and he told her that he may have mentioned that she was going out that night. "Well, at least he's not some evil genius." Lucy sighed.

"Hmm." Midnight agreed. Rustling next to them drew their attention back to Erza.

Lucy stared at her and the empty packet on her desk.

"Did... Did you just eat an entire pack of twizzlers?" Midnight asked.

"What?" Erza said defensively. "They're strawberry." She shoved the rubbish into her bag as their professor came into the room and started up on how lighting was important in making subjects look less two dimensional.

After spending an hour debating different styles (Picasso vs Monet etc) their class was finally let out. The three friends were walking past the coffee stand on the quad, still talking about class when red hair caught Lucy's attention.

Cobra was stood against a wall, reading a very white book with a thick black blurb. It looked familiar, but from that far away she couldn't tell what it was.

Lucy couldn't help but be intrigued, she hadn't pegged him for the reading type. Then she instantly felt guilty. A lot of people made that assumption about her, given she was an art major. And with her blonde hair and generously sized chest, people thought she was a bit of a bimbo. He was in her Lit class. It made sense that he would be a reader.

As they got closer to him, Erza waved goodbye. She was going to meet Cana for their women's studies. Lucy was about to make her excuses to leave too, when she saw the front of the book.

"The Foxhole Court?" Lucy practically gasped.

Cobra closed the book, and stared at Lucy. "Yeah, it's about this made up sport and the mafia-"

"I know what it's about. It's my favourite series." Lucy crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts up, Cobra noticed.

"What?" He didn't think any one else knew about this series. His ex, Kinana, had turned him onto it when he accused her of only reading trashy YA chosen one type books. He'd been hooked from the first page and had read it over and over. He realised what he was doing and managed to drag his gaze back to her face before she noticed, hopefully.

"I didn't think anyone else here would have known about it." She was genuinely mesmerised by the book in his hand. "Anyway. I have to go. See you later, Midnight?" She turned to face him.

"Yeah, later." Midnight gave a small wave as she flounced off towards the dorm halls. "You know you stared at her tits for a full minute?"

Cobra snorted. "What? No I didn't."

"It's fine. She was staring at your book." Midnight laughed. "This," he used his finger to indicate between Cobra and the, now far away Lucy, "Is adorable."

"Fuck off Midnight." Cobra sneered, before turning to stride back to their own home. 

Midnight smirked at his friends back. "Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I used AFTG as inspiration for that last bit. And the chapter title.  
> If you haven't read it but are into teen angst and made up sport and agonizing slow burns, read it.  
> The Foxhole Court  
> The Raven King  
> The Kings Men  
>  -By Nora Sakavic


	7. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things didn't work out the way Lucy had hoped, but she found comfort somewhere other than the bottom of a pint of ice cream, for once.

There was a knock on the door.

"Cobra?!" Midnight yelled from his spot on the living room floor. Directly in front of their TV. "I can't pause this!" He screeched, turning his controller to the side, like it would help him evade the onscreen attack.

"I'm coming." Cobra grumbled, putting out his cigarette and walking directly between Midnight and the TV.

"Asshole!" Midnight snarled as Cobra laughed at him.

He was still laughing when he opened the door. Until he saw Lucy. Her eyes red and puffy. Tears stained her cheeks and if he was totally honest, she didn't look great. At all. Instead of her usual skin tight tops or short skirts, she was in joggers and a hoodie. Her hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her head.

"Are you-" He started to ask if she was alright. But she put her hand up to cut him off.

"No. I'm not. I just want to get this done and leave." She snapped. Then sighed. "Sorry. It's not your fault. I'm just done with today and its crap."

Cobra couldn't respond, he just moved out of her way and let her in, closing the door as she walked past him. He noticed her hair was wet, but he couldn't hear rain. Then he smelled the chemical scent of cheap strawberry shampoo.

She sat on the sofa behind Midnight, and Cobra sat on the chair on the other side of the room. They waited for him to finish his game, the room silent except for gunshots and the occasional swear from Midnight.

Five minutes felt like a life time with how awkward Cobra felt. Tears kept slipping down the blonde's face but she swiped them away as quickly as they came. He watched as she pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them.

None too soon, Midnight finished his round. He slid his head set down to rest around his neck, but his victory grin turned sour when he saw the state Lucy was in.

"What the fuck, Lucy?" He quickly removed the headset and dropped his controller to sit next to her. Her tears came more quickly as she explained.

Bickslow had told his friend, Laxus, the one who was dating her friend, Cana, that he wasn't interested.

"So," She sniffed, "Instead of acting like a mature adult and speaking to me, or even texting me. He basically dumped me by telling two other people before me." She wiped her face with the heel of her hand, covered by her sleeve.

Cobra felt bad, listening to her, considering what he'd said to her in class. Even if it had been the truth, he had been a little harsh. He realised he couldn't stand seeing her upset, that was why he felt uncomfortable. He just wanted to wrap his arms around her. He shook the feeling from himself, hauling himself up from the chair and into the kitchen.

Cobra rested his forehead on the cool exterior of their refrigerator before opening it and grabbing three beers.

"...and then she told me she's going out with Laxus." Lucy's tears had stopped, her features fraught with anger and frustration. "So instead of going out tonight, I'm doing this," She gestured to their project, covered near the window, "then going home, and drowning myself in Ben and Jerrys."

The words were out of his mouth before he could think, "Or, you could chill here."

Midnight and Lucy both shot him a _look_.

"You owe me a rematch." He shrugged, handing them each a bottle of corona.

Lucy was reluctant. She pulled at the hem on her leggings. Yesterday, she'd have killed for a chance to make Cobra squirm again, knowing full well she was better than him. But now, she felt like a loser. A reject. But she supposed being here, with people, was better than sulking in her own empty apartment, binge watching Dexter until 5am. Again. So with a watery smile, she agreed.

Midnight ordered pizza while Cobra got into sweats and settled in front of the TV to play COD while the other two worked on their project in the kitchen.

After an hour or so, Cobra got up to stretch his legs, and go for a smoke.

"By the window!" Lucy all but screamed at him when he went to light it closer to them.

"Jeez! Okay!" Cobra yelped, hopping up on the counter and flinging open the window.

He couldn't help but notice, she looked more relaxed. Her smile actually reached her eyes as she leaned over one of the sections she was working on. She was painting something that looked a hell of a lot like a mermaid. Blonde strands had loosened from her bobble, framing her face, her brow was furrowed in concentration and Cobra realised he was staring. He looked out of the window instead, concentrating on inhaling and exhaling the smoke from his cigarette.

When Lucy called time on their project for the evening, herself and Midnight re-joined Cobra in the darkened living room, where he'd finished setting up the console for Mario Kart.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Cobra woke up on the sofa again. And while his eyes were still closed to the glare of the sun, memories of the night before flashed through his mind. Having his ass handed to him yet again by Lucy, her delighted laughter, and ridiculous victory dance. Midnight yawning. Cobra sticking a shit film on, then this.

Hair tickled his nose. And a weight turned to press against him.

"Damnit, Midnight! Not again" He growled, shoving the body away from him. He heard a yelp and a thud and smirked with satisfaction as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Except, when he opened them, it was Lucy sprawled on the floor in front of him. "Oh. Shit." He laughed maniacally.

"Rude." Lucy pouted, pushing herself up. Cobra calmed down and offered her a hand to help her up, but she pulled him down onto the floor with her, cackling as Cobra fell on top of her.

Midnight walked in, stretching his arms above his head. "Morning" He smiled down lazily at the pair tangled on the floor.

Lucy managed to get herself up, dusting herself off. She said her goodbyes, thanking the boys for making her feel better after a really crappy day.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Every Saturday for the rest of the semester went pretty much the same way. Lucy would finish her lunch and reading with Meredy, then go straight to there apartment for pizza and Mario Kart.

At Halloween, she managed to convince them to go to a party on campus with her, Meredy and Erza. Erza met a blue haired boy and sat talking to him all night. Cobra and Lucy sat in a corner, drinking and laughing at Midnight fawning over Meredy.

By Christmas, Midnight and Meredy were dating and she hung out with them most Saturdays too. The last day of the semester, they all shared a cab to the train station.

Lucy's was due first, she hugged Meredy.

"This is ridiculous." Lucy sniffed. "I'll see you again in two weeks." She drew back. And Midnight pulled her into a bear hug.

Cobra stayed back, only leaning forward to give her a fist bump as her train rolled in.

Lucy found her seat and stuffed her luggage in the over head rack. She put her headphones in, and listened to Lauren Aqualina's King as the train pulled out of the station, and she waved goodbye to her friends.


	8. Strangers 'til Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recap of Midnight and Cobra's Christmas.  
> TW mild description of Cobra losing his eye. Nothing massively gory, but still.  
> Lucy and Cobra are reunited and left alone.

"You're pacing." Cobra yawned from the sofa.

"No shit." Midnight retorted. Going backwards and forwards between the door to the kitchen, and the entry to their hallway.

"Doing that isn't going to make her get here faster." Cobra's voice was monotonous, he was too busy concentrating on not being killed by zombie dogs on the TV screen.

"What?" Midnight stopped his pacing.

"You're obviously panicking about seeing Meredy." Cobra's lip twitched in an almost smirk.

"Shut up." Midnight scowled, flopping onto the sofa next to his friend.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Midnight had returned to his father's sprawling estate in the south of the continent. He had hated every boring minute of it. Christmas day had been organised in a way that would make the military proud. Presents at 8am. Breakfast at 9. Then a family walk around their lake. They were to be back at the main house for 1pm for their dinner, which was a ridiculous eight course meal, consisting of birds stuffed in birds. By the end of the day, Midnight was ready to rip his own eyeballs out. Between the sly sniping by his step mother and the bickering of her twin girls, he definitely felt he'd earned a joint.

"Well," He'd announced after the dessert of summer berry parfait ( _in Winter?_ ) "This has been lovely, but," he wiped his face with the silk napkin, "I am tired." He stretched and bolted from the dining room.

He thought he'd done a very good job of hiding, but apparently, he wasn't as creative as he'd thought.

"The boat house?" His older brother, Richard snuck up and said it down his ear.

"Jesus!" Midnight choked on the sickly smoke as he inhaled.

Richard couldn't help but laugh at him as he lowered himself between the two boats where Midnight had nestled himself. He gestured for Midnight to pass him the joint.

He did.

The two stayed there until the sun came up, smoking. Talking. Laughing about how ridiculous the whole holiday was.

"The old man has been so uptight since Mom left." Midnight said, exhaling, the heady smoke filling the space between them.

"Pfft. He's always been uptight. That's why she left."

They'd stayed quiet for a bit after that. As if talking about their mother had killed their desire to make decent conversation, for once. Instead of trying to kill each other.

By late morning, Midnight had left. He was restless, he told his father. Anxious to get back to non-existent assignments.

Cobra had also gone south. To a trailer park, where his mother waited up for him to get home. After living somewhere he had his own room, staying in what was basically a soup can with wheels made him claustrophobic. By the end of the first day, he was dying to get out. Even being on a train for three hours was better than sleeping on a fold out sofa in a living room shared by 3 people. Even though his dad was working most of the time, he still felt like a massive imposition in their lives now.

Christmas morning had been quiet, almost awkward. His dad glancing sideways, making snide comments about how Cobra was a 'fancy college boy'. More than once he tried to make Cobra feel guilty about how much money he was getting, just for being a student.

"It's a fucking loan, Dad." He bit out during their Christmas dinner. "That means I have to pay it back." He ripped his measly microwaved vegetables from his fork.

"Don't speak to your father that way, Erik." His mother chastised. Using his given name. His fathers name.

Cobra rolled his eyes and shoved his chair away from the table. Making to leave the trailer, before his Dad grabbed him by the shoulder. Images from his childhood assaulted his memory. Heavy hands raining down blows on his battered young body. He swung and clocked his father's jaw.

His mother yelled at them to stop but it was too late. The senior Erik was on top of his younger son. Both growling, spittle flying. Fists flew and before anyone could react, Cobra's dad was beneath his son, reaching to hook his finger to pull him off, anyway he could.

There was a deafening pop inside Erik's skull.

His mother screamed, then vomited.

His father froze. He stared at his son, then ran.

There was blood on his face. In his mouth. His eye was sealed shut. Then he passed out.

As soon as the nurses in A&E stitched the chasm where his eye had been. He discharged himself, despite the doctors telling him he was at risk of infection. He promised he'd go to a hospital closer to the school if there was an issue. When he got back, Cobra packed his shit and got out of the trailer.

His mother had texted him a few times, but he blocked her number. It wasn't her fault. But he just couldn't talk to her.

Midnight got back about half an hour before Cobra did. He nearly got sick when he saw his friends face, despite the fact Cobra had called to let him know what had happened. The right side of his face was still swollen, and the bandages covered half his head.

Their New Years had been quiet. The pain meds made Cobra sleepy, and Midnight didn't want to go out without Meredy. 

Two days later, Cobra got his bandages off. Midnight actually did get sick when he saw him. Cobra's eye lid still had stitches in, and there was still a huge scratch from above his eyebrow, to below his cheekbone. Cobra laughed at Midnight so hard he thought he'd burst his stitches.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Midnight was practically vibrating with excitement when Meredy let him know that she was close.

"Are you going to be okay?" Midnight said as he was putting his coat on.

"My depth perception is slightly off, I'm not dying. Now, fuck off." Cobra half smiled at him, and he resumed his game.

About an hour later, there was a knock on the door. Cobra hated to admit it, but it was a real effort not to walk into door frames. Even just reaching for the door handle was proving to be slightly challenging.

He wasn't expecting Lucy to be the other side of the door. He definitely wasn't expecting her reaction to his, now exposed, face.

"Jesus!" She yelped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. "Sorry," she winced from behind her fingers. "What happened?" Genuine concern flashed across her honey browned eyes, her pouty lips pulled into a frown.

He was taken aback slightly, "I uh, got in a fight." He managed.

"With what? A honey badger?" She responded, "And can I come in? It's actually cold out here." To make her point, she wrapped her arms around herself. Her hands were tucked into her sleeves, making her hoodie look way too big for her.

He'd been so shocked by her presence and reaction, he'd forgotten to invite her in. He moved aside, letting her walk past him as he said "Uh, Midnight isn't here."

"I know. Meredy texted me. Told me you weren't yourself." She sat on the sofa. "I see why now." Her lips pulled down at the corners again. "Shouldn't you still be in the hospital?" She patted the seat next to her, and Cobra sat.

"Probably, but I'm fine." He shrugged.

"I'm sure." Lucy laughed.

They sat in heavy silence for a second before Cobra spoke.

"Do-" He cleared his throat, "Do you mind if we switch sides?" He looked down to his hands, he felt really stupid for having to actually ask. "I can't see you properly if you're on my right."

"Oh my God. I didn't even think." She shot up, flopping down on his other side, stretching her long legs out in front of her. "This better?" She gave him a lazy half smile.

The silence was still awkward, so he put a film on. Lucy settled on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her and leaning on the arm, away from Cobra.

Cobra couldn't concentrate, he was thinking about the last time he saw her. On the platform. How she'd hugged everyone but him. He hadn't made their friendship easy. Was this a friendship? The first time he saw her, he'd judged her for being far too peppy. Had smiled the first time he saw her anything less than princess perfect. Now, though, seeing her all dolled up wasn't right. She hadn't even known he existed, really. But her existence already made an impact on him. He'd been nothing short of an asshole to her, but here she was.

He looked over to her, she had fallen asleep. He looked at his watch, it was getting late. Trying not to wake her, he went to his room.

Cobra came back in, holding a comforter. Lucy's eyes opened.

"Didn't want to wake you." He whispered, shrugging.

"Sorry," Lucy yawned, stretching. showing off a small part of her toned midriff. "I travelled all day to get here."

"You can go back to sleep if you want." Cobra said softly, laying the blanket over her.

"I'm okay. Another film?" She smiled up at him.

Cobra smiled back. Not a smirk, or a smug tightening of his lips, but a real smile. Small as it was. He couldn't help it. He went back to the Netflix home screen and sat on the sofa, handing Lucy the controller.

"Get under here." She instructed him, holding up the blanket. He just stared at her. His remaining indigo eye confused, slightly embarrassed. Lucy rolled her own eyes. "Look, I am freezing. It's not like we haven't been in close proximity before." 

He laughed, remembering when he shoved her off this same sofa.

She got up, keeping the blanket around herself.

"What are you doing?" Cobra asked.

"Letting you get comfy first, silly." She waved her arm in front of her, indicating that he should stretch out. 

It was a wide couch, luckily. Enough room for both of them to fit comfortably, one in front of the other. So Cobra stretched his legs out one end, and rested his head on his own arm. Lucy took her hoodie off. Leaving her in just a Dragon Ball Z tank and her joggers. She put the blanket over him and settled in front of him, her head tucked just under his chin, his knees against the backs of hers, her back pressed against his firm chest, she let out a sigh.

"Comfy?" Cobra's warm breath tickled her ear.

"Mmm." She replied.

Cobra chuckled. "Good." He pulled the blanket around them properly, and Lucy chose a film.

It was one he'd seen a thousand times, Labyrinth. Lucy must have seen it at least as many times as him, because he could hear her mouthing the words, barely. 

By the time Sarah had gotten to the Oubliette, Cobra had relaxed more. It'd had been a long time since he'd been this close to anyone, like this anyway, where it wasn't accidental. Lucy pressed closer to him, instinctually, his hand snaked over her hips to hold her.

He pulled back, but her hand took his and let it settle on her stomach, their fingers laced. She squeezed, he reciprocated. He shifted, moving his other arm underneath her neck. Lucy leaned into his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her, his fingers making languid strokes up and down her arm.

Lucy started to turn around. So he moved his arms. Her eyes were half closed when she was facing him. But she reached up to gingerly touch the damaged side of his face. He closed his eye and leaned his cheek into her palm

"Are you okay?" She whispered.

"Yes." He breathed back.

Lucy leaned her head up, pushing her fingers up into his unruly hair. Cobra's eye was still closed, but he sighed at the feeling. Her other hand cupped the left side of his face. His arms were still around her, he traced the length of her back, under her shirt. She shuddered at the touch, arching her back, pushing herself further into his sturdy frame.

He cupped the back of her neck with both of his hands, and brought his lips close to hers.

"Are you?" He whispered.

"Yes." She sighed, and closed the distance between their mouths.


End file.
